A Winter Scenario Everyone Hopes to Avoid

The snow is piling up, the wind is blowing … and all of a sudden, the lights go out. What do you do next?

We don’t like bad-weather outages any more than our customers do, and we’ve prepared for these conditions by investing extensively to keep the lights on all year ‘round.

(You might have seen our announcement a few weeks ago that our investments in tree trimming, new technology and upgraded lines prevented about 410,000 outages last year. To us, that’s just a start.)

Still, severe weather – like high winds, ice, or heavy, wet snow -- can cause outages even on a strong delivery network. So what can you do to prepare?

Here are some steps to follow before a storm:

-Prepare an emergency kit with items like a flashlight and batteries; bottled water; canned food (and a hand-operated can opener); pet food; and medications you rely on. If you already have an emergency kit, check the items to be sure they are not nearing their use-by dates, and replace them if necessary.

-Charge your personal electronic devices in advance if you know a storm is coming.

-Go to pplelectric.com/alerts and set your PPL outage alerts to your preferred setting. You can receive updates on restoration progress through text message, email, phone or any combination. And, you can set “quiet” times when you don’t want to receive updates, if you choose.

-If you rely on electric-powered medical equipment, have a backup plan – such as arranging for a friend or relative to pick you up. While we respond to storms as quickly and safely as we can, we can’t guarantee a specific restoration time for your home after a major storm.

And, here are some useful tips to remember after the storm passes:

-Stay away from downed power lines and always assume any downed line is energized. Keep pets and kids away from lines as well. Please immediately report downed lines by calling 1-800-342-5775 (DIAL-PPL).

-Also, if you have an outage, please be sure to report it. Don’t assume a neighbor has done so.

-Never run a generator indoors or in a space where fumes can accumulate.

-For safety, use flashlights for light if needed, rather than candles. If you do use candles, handle them carefully and do not leave them unattended.-When shoveling out, please try not to pile snow on top of the green transformer boxes that may be in your neighborhood or any other electrical equipment.

We’ll continue to work to prevent outages. And, as always, when they do occur, we’ll respond as quickly and safely as we can. The tips above can make the time until the lights come back on pass more smoothly.